Cover for wire wrapped card chassis

ABSTRACT

A control system for an electrostatic copying machine having different processing stations for uniformly charging, exposing, developing, transferring, fusing, cleaning, etc., during a copy cycle. The control system employs a wire wrapped card chassis as a basis thereof having a card chassis covered with numbered perforations therein in alignment with a number of pins on the card chassis as an aid to the service man for connecting test leads to various pins for diagnosing problems.

[ Nov. 12, 1974 United States Patent [1 1 Helbig l l COVER FOR WIREWRAPPED CARD cal Disclosure Bulletin, Vol. l3, N0. 8, H71.

CHASSIS Molded Probe Panels with Metal inserts, Lorenz et [75] lnventor:Gerald R. Helbig, Webster, NY.

21]., IBM Technical Disclosure Bulletin, Vol. 14, N0. 2, 7/71. 1

[73] Assignee: Xerox Corporation, Stamford,

Conn.

[ Filed Dec 5 1972 Primary ExaminerRichard M. Sheer [2i] Appl. No.1312,400

ABSTRACT pying machine hu.lt .5 C t svmas omm m m mw wm w m mC OS embWat de w v wdm e 0 m w m m m gpsnn r p.lga op n si. t f n wdas mm m wh sde o i MID- Y m X na s fi ad fl m m fl m g 53 m w mm mmw n m fls mm mwmiAhcdehflt ink P F MHX wim vp 5 D oo .111 3/5 /Mg 423D: m3 flnam ml h T.U." 5 .4 u n 5 m N m: 3 E mu M "1 RA u a y m, nu ma. .3 r 5 my in 21, u3 n k A n m "U m kmo m" RSHSC n uh e H C R n M E2 2 n e 777 u s ww h MeiNH// 0 00 um d S Ld 580 .U .mm 006 34 l 844 U mum 6 U5 L 3 3 1 1 Claim,3 Drawing Figures OTHER PUBLICATIONS Internal Scoping Aid, D. W.Beckinsale, IBM Techni- PAIENIEDHUHZ 1974 sum 1 of 3 3,8471479PATENTEDHUV 12 I974 SHEEI 2 OF 3 BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In areproduction machine, a number of machine operations must beaccomplished in timed sequence relative to each other. For example, in axerographic copier, the photoconductive surface is charged and thecharged surface is exposed to produce a latent electrostatic image inconformity with the document being copied. The latent image isthereafter developed with a material such as a dry powder or toner. Thedeveloped image is subsequently transferred to a support material suchas paper and the transferred powder image is then fused onto the paperto produce a permanent copy. Thus, in the operation of the machine, thephotoconductor must be charged, the document must be fed into themachine, the transfer mechanism must be energized as the paper and thedeveloped image simultaneously arrive thereat and the fusing mechanismmust be energized as the paper passed therethrough. For high speedoperation of these machines, it may be advantageous to employ anautomatic document handler to place and remove original documents to becopied onto the exposure platen of the machine. It may also be desirableto. utilize a collater or sorter to accurately sort the copies made.

It can be seen that a multiplicity of machine operations and functionsare necessary for the efficient reproduction of original documents on axerographic machine. Controls to enable programming of the machine forthe desired number of copies to be made, sorted originals to be fed,paper sensors to signify paper jams, logic devices to enable the machineto produce the programmed number of copies in the event a number ofcopies are lost because of machine malfunctions or jams, etc. require afairly complex electrical system. In order to monitor and initiate allof the timed sequences and operations of the machine, the controlcircuitry may have hundreds of electrical connections. To simplifywiring of such a machine, a wire wrapped card chassis may be utilized.In the event of a malfunction in the machine, the service man may berequired to connect jumper wires or diagnostic equipment to certain pinsin the wire wrapped card chassis. Since the card chassis may containhundreds of closely spaced pins, it is extremely difficult to determinethe proper pin or connection required for the desired test procedure.Further, in connecting and disconnecting jumper wires or test equipment,it is very possible that the pins may be bent or broken by roughhandling and contact adjacent pins, thereby causing a short in thesystem.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to an electrostaticreproduction machine employing an. electrical control system having awire wrapped. card chassis. A card chassis cover havingnumberedperforations therein is provided to enable insertion of test leads intothe desired numbered perforation for contacting the chassis pin inalignment therewith.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. I is an isometric view of axerographic reproduction machine with the control console thereof tiltedup for access thereto-- FIG. 2 is an schematic sectional view of areproduction machine.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged isometric view, partially in section, illustratingthe under side of the control console.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT For a general understanding ofan electrostatic processing system in which the invention may beincorporated, reference is had to FIG. 2 in which various components ofa system are schematically illustrated. As in most electrostatic systemssuch as a xerographic machine, a light image of an original to bereproduced is projected onto the sensitized surface of a xerographicplate to form an electrostatic latent image thereon. Thereafter, thelatent image is developed with an oppositely charged developing materialcomprising carrier beads and smaller powder particles triboelectricallyadhering thereto to form a xerographic powder image corresponding to thelatent image on the plate surface. The powder image is thenelectrostatically transferred to a support surface to which it may befixed by a fusing device whereby the powder image is caused permanentlyto adhere to the support surface.

The electrostatically attractable developing material commonly used inelectrostatic reproduction systems comprises a pigmentedtresinous powderhereinafter referred to as toner and carrier" of larger granular beadsformed from a material removed in the triboelect-ric series from thetoner so that a triboelectric charge is generated between the tonerpowder and the granular carrier. The carrier also provides mechanicalcontrol so that the toner can be readily handled and brought intocontact with theexposed xerographic surface where the toner isattractedto the electrostatic latent image from the carrier to produce a visiblepowder image on the xerographic surface.

In the illustrated machine, an original D to be copied is placed upon atransparent support platen P fixedly arranged in an illuminationassembly generally indicated by the reference numeral 10. While upontheplaten, an illumination system comprising two or more lamps andreflectors L are flash. energized to direct light rays upon the originalto produce image rays corresponding to the informational areas on theoriginal. The image rays .are projected by means of an optical system 11to an exposure station A for exposing the photosensitive surface of amoving xerographic plate in the form of a flexible photoconductive belt12. In moving in the direction indicated by the arrow, prior toreachingthe exposure station A, that portion of the belt being exposedwould have been uniformly charged by a corona device 13 indicated at abelt run extending between belt supporting rollers 14 and. 15, thelatter being the drive roller for the belt. The exposure station extendsbetween the roller 14and a third support roller 16. The belt run betweenthese rollers is encompassed entirely by the exposure station-forminimizing the space required by the belt andits supporting rollers.

The exposureof the belt to the light image discharges thephotoconductive layer in the areas struck by light whereby there remainson the belt a latent electrostatic image in image configurationcorresponding to the light image projected from the originaldocument. Asthe belt surface continues its movement, the electrostatic image passesaround the roller 16 to a developer station .7 by the reference numberal.17. The developer apparatus 17 comprises aplurality of brushes whichcarry developer to the adjacent surface of the upwardly moving inclinedphotoconductive belt 12 to provide development of the electrostaticimage.

The developed electrostatic image is'transported by the belt 12 to atransfer station C located at a point of tangency on the belt around thedrive roller 15 whereat a sheet of copy paper is moved at a speed insynchronism with the moving belt in order to accomplish transfer of aproperly registered developed image.

tus comprising a main paper feed supply and an auxiliary paper feedsupply 21. Each of the paper supplies is adapted to separate sheets fromtheir respective supply stacks and to transport the sheets to a sheetregistration station and eventually into contact with the developedimage on the belt as the same is carried around the drive roller 15. Asuitable timing control mechanism is operatively associated with each ofthe paper supply mechanisms 20, 21 and the flash illumination device L,for producing an electrostaticlatent image on the belt 12 to present adeveloped image at the transfer station C in timed sequence with thearrival of a sheet of paper, and is coordinated with the activation ofother processing and control devices at the precise time that theseelements are to function for their intended purpose. I

After the developed image-is transferred toa sheet of paper, it isstripped from thebelt 12 and conveyed by conveying system 23 into afuser apparatus generally indicated by reference numeral 24 wherein thedeveloped and transferred xerographic powder image on the sheet materialis affixed thereto. After fusing, the finished copy is discharged fromthe apparatus by a conveyer 25 at a suitable point for collectionexternally of the apparatus. The toner particles remaining as residue onthe developed image and those particles not otherwise transferred arecarried by the belt 12 to a cleaning apparatus 26 positioned on the runof the belt between the-rollers 14 and 15 adjacent the charging device13. The cleaning apparatus comprises a discharge device 27 forneutralizing charges remaining on the particles and a rotating brush 28which operates in conjunction with a vacuum system to remove theresidual toner particles from the brush.

' Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 3, the xerographic machine is providedwith a control console 40 which is adapted for rotation aboutian axis inthe upper rear corner thereof to provide access to the wire wrapped cardchassis 41 which forms a basis for the electrical control system of themachine. Since the card chassis contains hundreds of pins, 42, a greatnumber of which would not require access for machine diagnosticpurposes, a cover 44 is provided having a plurality num-' beredperforations 46 therein, the perforations being in alignment with pinson the wire wrapped card chassis which may be necessary or desirable forconnection of test leads 48 thereto to determine the cause of variousmachine malfunctions. The inside surface of the cover is spaced from theends of thecard chassis pins. in order to connect a test lead to thedesired pin beneath the numbered perforation in the cover, the serviceman must insert the test lead or test probe directly into theperforation perpendicular to the surface of the-cover. The perforationare sized relative to the size of the test leads to prevent insertion ofthe leads other than perpendicular to the surface of the card cover. Inthis way, it is very difficult to bend the pins on the card chassis orto contact adjacent pins with the test lead and cause a possible short.It can be seen from the foregoing that a numbered or labeled perforatedwire wrapped card chassis cover greatly simplifiesmachine servicing andminimizes possible damage to the pins in the chassis.

While I have describeda preferred embodiment of my invention it is to beunderstood that the invention is not limited thereto but maybe otherwiseembodied within the scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is: I 1. An electrostatic reproduction machine forproducing copies of an original having a moving photoreceptor and aplurality of processing devices arranged when activated for producingelectrostatic latent images on the photoreceptor for developing theimages and for transferring developed images to a moving supportmaterial;

a control system for monitoring machine operations and energizingvarious machine elements in timed relation relative to-the movement ofthe photoreceptor, said control system including a wire wrapped cardchassis having a plurality of upstanding pins thereon, card chassiscover adapted to prevent access to a number of said pins','said coverhaving a plurality of numbered perforations'therein' in alignment withselected pins in said wire wrapped card chassis, said perforations beingadapted to receive and guide test leads therethrough into engagementwith the pins disposed behind said cover in alignment with saidperforations for checking proper operation of said reproduction machinewhile preventing contact between the test leads and adjacent pinsandpreventing damage to the pins in alignment with said perforations.

1. An electrostatic reproduction machine for producing copies of anoriginal having a moving photoreceptor and a plurality of processingdevices arranged when activated for producing electrostatic latentimages on the photoreceptor for developing the images and fortransferring developed images to a moving support material; a controlsystem for monitoring machine operations and energizing various machineelements in timed relation relative to the movement of thephotoreceptor, said control system including a wire wrapped card chassishaving a plurality of upstanding pins thereon, a card chassis coveradapted to prevent access to a number of said pins, said cover having aplurality of numbered perforations therein in alignment with selectedpins in said wire wrapped card chassis, said perforations being adaptedto receive and guide test leads therethrough into engagement with thepins disposed behind said cover in alignment with said perforations forchecking proper operation of said reproduction machine while preventingcontact between the test leads and adjacent pins and preventing damageto the pins in alignment with said perforations.